Pick the time around the youngest person
Soft evening light is lovely, but a toddler who missed a nap isn't. Start with your kids' best hour of the day and we'll work the light around it. Indoors, a room with a big window does a lot of the work.
Boston family photographer
Family photographs in Boston, from the newborn to the grandparents.
Family, newborn and maternity sessions at home, in the backyard or somewhere outdoors across Greater Boston. Relaxed direction for the whole crew, and time for the kids to be kids.
Pictured: a backyard family session from my family gallery.
Family photography in Boston
The photo on the fridge should look like your family on a good day.
I'm Muyinza Kasirye, a Black photographer based in Boston, photographing families, portraits and weddings across Greater Boston and New England.
A family session isn't a test anyone has to pass. You don't need matching outfits or a toddler who sits still. I give clear, simple direction for the few frames where everyone needs to look at the camera, and the rest of the time I photograph what's already happening: the big brother showing off, the baby asleep on a shoulder, the grandparent who finally got everyone in one place.
Every photograph on this page comes from a real session in my own galleries. None of it is stock.
Part of why I got into photography was to make beautiful photographs of my own family. I want you to have pictures of your people that mean as much to you. You can meet my family and read that story on my About page.
Where sessions happen: your home, your backyard, or an outdoor spot in Boston or Greater Boston that you choose. I also travel across Massachusetts and New England. Tell me where you have in mind and I'll confirm it before you book.
Family & extended family
Siblings, parents, grandparents and the one who won't sit down.
These are real sessions from my family gallery, photographed at home and in a backyard. A mix of posed groups and in-between moments, in color and black and white.
The shoulder ride and seated mother-and-daughter portrait below show two different ways to be together in a photograph. Notice whether you are drawn to the playful interaction or the close, seated portrait. Tell me which feels more like your family, or whether you want a mix. The home and outdoor planning guide can help you connect that preference to a setting.
Discuss your family photographs
Newborn & baby milestones
The first weeks, the first holidays, the first birthday.
From a newborn's first curls to a first-birthday party with the whole family, these sessions happen at home, where the baby is most comfortable.
Newborn sessions are easiest to plan around a due date. Put yours in your inquiry, and we'll confirm the exact day once the baby has arrived. For milestone sessions, tell me the occasion and roughly how many people will be there.
For newborn photographs, tell me whether your priorities are close baby portraits, pictures with parents or siblings, or more of your home in the frame. Include your town and any practical access needs. Reference photographs are useful when you explain what you like about them; we can confirm which requests fit the session before you book.
Compare lifestyle and posed newborn photography if you are choosing an approach. Home or studio describes the setting; the image mix and amount of direction are separate things to discuss. Include a due date or your baby’s current age in the message. A due date is not a confirmed session date.
Plan a newborn or baby session
Maternity
A portrait of this chapter, on your terms.
Start with the portrait you want most: on your own, with your partner or with your children. Tell me who you hope to include, and we can shape the plan around those photographs.
If your family is joining, say whether solo maternity portraits are also a priority. Share your town, preferred date window and any walking, seating or scheduling needs. For children, include their ages and who could look after them during solo or couple portraits. We will confirm participation, setting, scope and the written quote before booking.
The maternity session planning guide helps you compare solo, partner and family photographs and prepare a short priority list. If newborn photographs also interest you, mention them as a separate planning question.
Plan a maternity session
Who is the session for?
One person, a milestone or the whole family?
A family session centers on your relationships and the combinations of people you want photographed. If the main goal is an individual portrait, graduation photographs or pictures of the two of you, start with personal portrait sessions in Boston to choose the right inquiry.
When a family session includes a personal milestone, list both priorities. For example, tell me if you want a photograph of everyone together, individual pictures of a graduating child and a portrait with the grandparents. Include who is coming, any walking or seating needs and any print deadline. We can then confirm the time and scope before you book.
Planning a family session
Four decisions that make the session easier.
None of this has to be perfect. These are just the choices that shape how relaxed the session feels.
Choose a place that feels like yours
Home and the backyard are easy for small children, and they put your real life in the frame. If you'd rather be outdoors in a Boston park or garden, check its rules for professional photography first, since some require a permit. These notes on who manages Boston's parks show where to ask.
Name the must-have groups
If grandparents or cousins are joining, choose the essential groups first and collect each household’s priorities in one note. The extended-family session planning guide helps you compare portraits with celebration coverage, agree on a shared date window and prepare a useful inquiry.
Dress for comfort, then color
Clothes everyone can sit, crouch and run in come first. After that, a few colors that sit well together look better than identical outfits. You'll get a style guide from me before the session.
Home or outdoors?
Choose the place around the people.
Start with one photograph you want most and one practical need the setting should meet. A portrait on your own couch, everyone together beneath trees and grandparents with each grandchild can point toward different spaces. Tell me about walking distance, steps, seating or a meal and rest window before settling on the backdrop.
For home, describe the room, available light and who needs to fit together. For a backyard or another outdoor place, include the exact meeting point and any access or permission questions. If you want both inside and outside, say whether they are at the same address or require travel. We can confirm the location, sequence and scope before you book.
Use the at-home versus outdoor family photo guide to compare two options. An undecided location is a useful starting point; you do not need to solve every detail before inquiring.
Discuss a family photo locationBringing several households?
Send one shared plan before choosing a session.
Tell me the total number of people and households, when everyone can be present, and your most important photograph. If you want individual household portraits as well as the full group, list those priorities too. Include any walking or seating needs and whether the photographs have a print or gift deadline.
For a reunion, birthday or anniversary, describe which activities you want photographed alongside the portraits. We can then confirm the scope, location and written quote. A general session duration does not confirm how many groups or parts of a celebration can be included.
Use the six-part family session brief to collect the details. Undecided dates or locations are welcome; start with what you know.
Discuss your family’s plansHow it works
A quote first. No surprises afterwards.
Family, newborn and maternity sessions are shaped around who's coming and where we're photographing. Your collection and price are confirmed in writing before you book.
What to expect
- A conversation about your people, location and priorities
- A style guide before the session
- Most sessions run 60 to 90 minutes
- A curated online gallery in two to three weeks
- Every image individually edited
Planning a wedding instead? See Boston wedding photography and the New England wedding page.
Family session questions
Before you inquire
How do we choose between home and an outdoor family session?
Start with the photograph you want most, then compare the practical needs of the people coming. Describe the space, light, walking distance, seating and timing constraints for each option. A backyard may offer an outdoor setting without a separate journey. If you want more than one setting, explain the sequence so we can confirm the scope and location before booking.
What should I include in a maternity photography inquiry?
Share your town, preferred date window, who you hope to include and the photographs you want most. Say whether solo portraits are a priority, whether anyone would attend only to help, and any walking, seating or scheduling needs. For children, mention their ages and the supervision plan to discuss. We will confirm participation, setting, scope and the written quote before booking.
What should I include in a newborn photography inquiry?
Share your due date or your baby’s current age, your town and preferred setting, who would join, and the photographs you want most. Mention any image deadline or practical access needs. Put the due date in the message rather than treating it as a confirmed session date; we will confirm the day, scope and written quote before booking.
Can we include grandparents or several households?
Yes. Tell me the total number of people and households, the time everyone can be present and the photographs that matter most. Include any walking or seating needs and whether you also want celebration coverage. We will confirm the scope, location and written quote before booking.
Where do family sessions take place?
At your home, in your backyard, or at an outdoor spot in Greater Boston that means something to you. Several of the sessions on this page were photographed at home and in a backyard, which is often the easiest setting for small children. Some public parks and gardens have their own rules or permits for professional photography, so check with the location before we settle on it.
How long is a family session?
Most portrait sessions run 60 to 90 minutes. With young children, we plan the start time around naps and meals so nobody runs out of patience halfway through.
How much does a family, newborn or maternity session cost?
Sessions are quoted around who's coming, where we're photographing and what you want to take home. Your collection and price are confirmed in writing before you book. Sending an inquiry doesn't commit you to anything.
What should we wear?
Wear what makes you feel like yourselves. I'll send a style guide with colors that photograph well, but comfort matters more than matching. A toddler in shoes they hate won't give you the photo you want.
What if our kids won't cooperate?
Then we slow down. Kids get a break, a snack or a few minutes to run around, and I keep photographing. A child doing their own thing often makes a better photograph than a forced smile.
When do we get our photos?
You'll receive a curated online gallery within two to three weeks, and every image is individually edited.
Do you photograph families outside Boston?
Yes. I'm based in Boston and photograph across Massachusetts and New England, including southern Maine and New Hampshire. Share the location in your inquiry and I'll confirm travel before you book.
Boston · Greater Boston · New England
Tell me who's in the picture.
Share who’s coming, where you’d like to be photographed and roughly when. I’ll follow up about availability, your priorities and the next step.
Plan a family session